Dansk Folkeparti (DF) has turned down a request to join a coalition of anti-EU and anti-immigration parties ahead of next year’s European Parliament elections.
The coalition was started by Dutch politician Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom, who is known for his strong views on Islam and immigration.
“We want the Netherlands, France and other European countries to control their own borders, fight mass immigration and want European countries to win control of their currencies and legislation,” Wilders told Politiken newspaper. “Despite our differences, these are the issues we want to co-operate on.”
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Lobbying for support
Wilders has so far been joined by the National Front from France, headed by Marine Le Pen, and wants parties such as the UK Independence Party and DF to get onboard.
“I hope that parties such as Dansk Folkeparti want to join our group, which they have a lot in common with,” Wilders told Politiken. “It would make me happy but it’s up to them.”
But DF deputy leader Søren Espersen says the party has no intention of joining the coalition. He was surprised Wilders would join Le Pen.
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DF bats off request
“I don’t think that Front National is a decent party,” Espersen said, pointing to the party’s history with anti-Semitism.
Espersen added that he was shocked that DF’s Swedish sister party Sverigedemokraterna was considering joining the alliance and that DF would cut ties if the Swedish party follows through.
Politiken reports that Sverigedemokraterna were visited by Le Pen last month and that party leader Jimmie Åkesson would only consider joining the alliance after the election.
